Naomi Klassen writes about her internship with the MC USA Historical Archives and how she was impacted by the letters written by Lynn Liechty, a Mennonite and World War II non-combatant.
Naomi Klassen served as a summer 2024 intern with the MC USA Historical Archives. She is a senior at Goshen College, Goshen, Indiana, where she is completing a double major in history and criminal and restorative justice. Klassen attends Assembly Mennonite Church in Goshen.
Klassen’s internship was generously funded by the Schowalter Foundation.
This article was first published in the MC USA Archives News, Vol. 2, Issue 3.
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My internship at the MC USA Archives this summer was fascinating. On my first day, I began processing a small collection of letters written between 1943-1946, during World War II (See sample below).
These letters are a lasting record of correspondence between Lynn Liechty, a Mennonite 1-AO non-combatant, and his family and friends back home in Berne, Indiana. His letters mark a heartfelt effort to communicate with his community, as he reflects on his service at an Army Base in Kearns, Utah, to island territories, including Guam.
Perhaps surprisingly, the bulk of Liechty’s messages were calm, even mundane — describing meals, daily training routines, chapel services and his occasional work as a dental medic. It became apparent that the challenges of serving as a non-combatant during WWII were sometimes more mental than physical. Throughout this period, Liechty experienced external pressure to adjust his Anabaptist beliefs and values. One of his most striking letters, sent to his father in 1943, is about a confrontation regarding whether he would train with a gun.
Leichty wrote, “Well, I got my first real test today.” Due to a squadron mix-up, he and a small group of other non-combatants were sent to train in a rifle range. Liechty wrote, “I knew we were into a showdown,” as he prepared to speak up about the mistake. Despite his anxiety, “after a little prayer, [Liechty] stepped out in front of that group of men” and told the squadron leader that he was leaving. This situation was eventually resolved with the aid of a senior captain, but it was an exercise of faith for Leichty. At the end of his story, he described his nervousness and gratitude that “the Lord was right beside [him].”
I was impressed by Liechty’s positive attitude and honesty about the challenges of spending three years away from home. To learn more about Leichty, visit the MC USA Archives or email archives@mennoniteusa.org.
Citation: Lynn Liechty Papers, 1943-1946. HM1-1057. Mennonite Church USA Archives. Elkhart, Ind.
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